Before Pandora
by Fallenepiphany
Summary: **Revised Edition** Before Pandora, before Neytiri, there was her. Jake reminds himself that not all his past is worth forgetting. Rating for non-graphic lemon. JakeXOc
1. Before Pandora

**This is a revised version of a oneshot I wrote. I thought the previous version was a little rushed, this has been extended and tweaked.  
_An: _**_Rating is for non-graphic sex scence.  
Don't own or claim to own Avatar (wouldn't mind owning Sam Worthington in all his Aussie fitness;) )  
Ummm....I saw the film two weeks ago and I was in the car the other day and wondered what was Sam like before Pandora? Had there been women before Neytiri?_

_So here it is, enjoy :) Excuse any errors, I don't have a beta yet :/_

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Before Pandora I was a Marine.  
Simple as, my life was much like that of my fellow Marines. I was away for months on end.  
I didn't mind too much though.

Because she was always there for me when I came home.

Even if she knew I wasn't going to be home until some ridiculously early hour. Haley was there. Usually asleep on the couch. She always but up banners or something on the walls of our apartment.  
"Welcome home!" They used to beam at me.

Now as I look back, I realize just how damn lucky I was to have Haley. I know that now, I just wish I could go back and really tell her how much she helped me. How she made me accept who I am.

I wish she knew how grateful I am.  
I wouldn't be where I am today without Haley. She taught me that no matter how bad things seem, if you trust yourself, you'll be ok.  
I remember coming home two months before my accident.

It was 2:45 am, it was February, the 7th I think...  
There was two foot of snow in Chicago, and the cabbie mouthed about it the whole way from the airport. My heart was jumping like a little jack rabbit. I hadn't seen Haley since August. I'd taken time off and come home for my 25th birthday. Five months.

Ours was the only light on in the apartment building. I smirked, hoping she was awake.  
Five months with just my hand for company was finally coming to an end!

I mean, don't get me wrong, Haley was more to me then just a sex object. But like I said, five months.  
I tipped the taxi driver, and hauled my bag out from the back of the cab. I sighed, taking in a deep breath. Fresh snow was beginning to fall around me.  
God it was good to be home.

I fished my key from my pocket. I didn't want to buzz up just in case she had fallen asleep. As always I took the stairs rather then the piece of shit creaky elevator.  
Even as I tip-toed, my heavy boots clunked on the floor.

303, 304, 305, 306.  
Home.  
I slipped in the door, shutting it gently behind me and looking around. Sure enough, hanging across the far wall was a home-made banner. I smiled and dropped my bag at the door and dropped my keys on the table. The fire was almost dead but the couch was empty. I glanced to the bedroom door, it was open, I assumed she had fallen asleep in the room.

Damn I couldn't wait to curl up beside her. One thing about being away from home so long, is that no matter how many friends you make, there's nothing better then curling up with your girl.  
Listen to me, I sound like a sap.

I took Haley to my junior and senior Prom. We had been friends long before we were romantically involved.  
She came to junior prom as a friend after my girlfriend dumped me.  
Senior prom was another matter.

The apartment smelled like her, that heavenly sweet smell of the coconut shampoo she used and refused to change.  
I moved across to the kitchen, pulling open the fridge I had the milk carton to my lips when I heard her.

"Just because you've spent the last five months in a desert without using glasses, does not mean you don't have to use one here." I felt a pair of slender arms incircle my waist.  
I jumped and almost choked on my milk.  
I heard Haley laugh and I turned in her arms, placing the milk carton on the counter behind her. Her green eyes were bright beneath a bright pink fringe. I tilted my head to one side, "What happened to the blue? I liked the blue." I frowned, raising an eyebrow.

Haley shrugged nonchalantly, "You don't like pink?" she mimicked my raised eyebrow and I chuckled.  
"I like pink just fine." I assured her, running my fingers through it. "It's pretty." I added after a long moment.

She grinned at me.  
I dwarfed her measly 5ft 3. But I liked it that way, it made me feel like I could protect her against anything.

Her hands moved from my waist to slide up my chest.  
Glancing down I almost laughed, her finger nails were three different colours, blue pink and purple.

I snorted "Nice."  
Haley rolled her eyes, draping her arms around my neck, her index finger rubbed soothing circles at the back of my neck. She smiled absently, humming almost silently.

Haley was wearing one of my old t-shirts, it fell mid-way down her tanned thigh. I caught the glint of silver around her neck, quickly recognizing it as one of my old dog tags.  
Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders, what wasn't pink was a dark blond.  
As I surveyed her I noticed the kitchen was silent. When I looked back into her eyes I found her staring right at me.

"Welcome home Marine." she whispered quietly, totally serious.  
I supressed a shudder, I never told her, but damn I loved it when she called me Marine.  
"Good to be home m'am." I replied, placing a hand beneath her chin. Haley reached up on her tip-toes and pressed her lips to my cheek. I closed my eyes and grasped her waist tightly, pulling her to me. I relished in the smell of her coconut shampoo.

Kissing her neck, it brought her lips to my own, feeling her lips on my for the first time after five months felt like putting ice on a burn, instantly gratifying.  
It was a loving kiss. Her lips were soft on mine.

She moved her lips to my jaw, something she did every time I came home, this was her subtle way of ensuring I wasn't hiding some gruesome wound.  
Haley still thought I hadn't figured it out.

"I thought you'd be asleep." I murmured as she kissed my adams apple, the circling on the back on my neck ceased and and Haley dropped her hands to the buttons on my shirt.  
I knew exactly where this was going.

She broke away from me momentarily, "I wanted to welcome you home properly."  
"Properly?" I tried to sound as though I didn't understand. Revelling as her cheeks became hot.  
Suddenly she grew bold.

"You aren't the only one who's gone without sex for five months!" she exclaimed, glancing up at me.  
I laughed, and let my hands slide down to cup her butt.  
Haley was quick to grasp the idea and jumped, wrapping her legs around my waist. I kissed her neck and she moaned softly when a bit down gently.

"I'm so glad you came home!" she said breathlessly.  
I snorted again and and started towards the bedroom.

"You left the fridge open!" she gasped as my hands grasped her tighter, distracting her from her continued efforts on my shirt.

"Don't care." I grunted into her collar bone as I carried her through the bedroom door. The bedside lamp was on. There was just enough light.

I dropped her on the bed, she landed with a soft "Oof!".

She giggled as I pulled off my shirt, then reached out her fingers ran across my chest. I sighed contently and watched her. She dropped onto her elbows, gazing imperiously at me, I made to step forward but she swung her leg up, planting a foot midway up my chest.

"Outstanding." I whispered.

She looked up at me and grinned cheekily.

I lifted an eyebrow and grasped her ankle, her skin was like satin against my rough hands. My hands roamed along her silky skin, rising along her lean calf muscle. I looked up as she dropped from her elbows, lying on her back.  
When I paused at her knee, she looked up.

"What are you waiting for Marine?" she cocked an eyebrow.

Suddenly my pants were too tight, and we were both wearing far too much clothes.

Dropping her leg, I stumbled out of my boots and managed to unbuckle my belt before I fell onto the bed, I tugged at her t-shirt, the joking air was gone from the room. Replaced by a sudden heavy urgency.

Haley held her hands over her head like a child, letting me slip off the shirt. Thankfully she wasn't wearing a bra.  
She was wearing Spongebob underwear. I would've laughed but her lips caught mine. This time is was different.  
There was a desperate passion in the kiss that was insane.

All of a sudden I wanted her, all of her, at once. My hands roamed her body, caressing, stroking, squeezing, my lips following as I tasted her overheated skin. I loved the sounds she made, the soft gasps, the groans, the moans, everything.  
It was one hell of a turn-on.

As my hand massaged her left breast she turned the tables. Her hand, which had been dancing along my hip bone suddenly shot below deck. Grabbing the helm in her slender fingers.  
The noise that came out of my mouth was unintelligible.

Her free hand caught my chin and brought me to her eye level. All breath had left me.

She bit her lip and smiled at me, "Marine, I asked you already, what the heck are you waiting for?!" she demanded.

I nodded, and she released me, divesting me of my pants. I followed suit and sent Spongebob flying over my shoulder.

Positioning myself, I glanced into her vivid green eyes which were heady with lust.  
She wrapped her legs around my waist and drew me into her.

We both groaned in satisfaction as I immersed myself inside her.  
She clutched my back, her multi-coloured nails scraping my back as she encouraged me.

All sense of time left me, and there was no time to 'Make Love', neither she nor I needed to make love.  
When I began to move inside her I thought I never wanted to leave. That if all I ammounted in my life was to be here, it was work it.

To this day, I can feel her nails across my shoulder blades, her satin thighs slipping against my hips, and the half-hoarse way she called my name as she came down from her high.

After my accident, I took time off from the force.

I was empty, we moved apartments, my wheelchair was two wide.  
Haley never let me get too down, she kept me busy, making me go to the cinema and other places.

She never babied me, or made me feel different. She kept pushing me, making me learn to move around myself, from the chair to the bed or sofa.  
Haley agreed with my going back to the Marines with restrictions, restrictions she knew I could uphold. While her job at the Pharmacy downtown would earn enough to keep her afloat and put a little away to try and save enough for the operation.

I did eventually go back. Telling myself I could face and master any task I was set, regardless of my physical impediments.

For my 28th birthday, I couldn't get home, I was stationed in Iraq.  
Haley had made plans with my Commander to come and suprise me at a hotel in Al-Qadisiyah -the closest town to where we were stationed with a couple of my buddies. She was going to stay for three days, then she would have to stay home.

I had absolutely no idea.

The guys told me they were taking me for a few drinks. I was up for it, feeling a little sorry for myself that I wasn't with Haley, but I was looking forward to it.  
I was showered and just finished shaving when my Commander came into our tent.

"Sully. We need to talk son." he placed a hand on my shoulder.  
He told me Haley's plans to come celebrate, apparently she had news, though she hadn't told Commander Jenkins.

With the look on his face I thought maybe she wasn't able to come, and he'd been sent to be the bearer of bad news.

I wasn't prepared for what calm next.

"She was in the hotel, and there was an accident."  
I froze.  
"What kind of accident Sir?" I asked, the lump that formed in my throat was immense.

"Jake son. There was a suicide bomber."

I didn't speak as I wheeled myself from the tent.

The bottom floor of the hotel had been destroyed, as I stared aimlessly at the rubble, I heard myself murmuring her name.  
Haley, Haley, Haley! They had to be wrong. She couldn't...she just couldn't.  
Then I spied something among the rubble, curious, I managed to picked it up.

It was a long with banner, familiar writing across it said "Happy Birthday Ja-" before it was cut off by a rip.  
It was Haley's writing. And suddenly it all became very real, very fast.

Haley died instantly. The medic promised she hadn't suffered. Then he had placed a hand on my shoulder, "I'm sorry for your losses."  
"Losses?" I repeated.  
"Your Fiancee was pregnant Sir."

My whole world stopped.  
That was her news.  
She had mentioned on the phone the last time we spoke that something big was happening.

I will never forget the how I felt when I found out that Haley was not only dead but she was 22 weeks pregnant with my baby girl.

It felt like my whole life had been destroyed, the one thing that tied me to the human world was gone.  
I suppose that was one of the reasons I decided to go to Pandora.  
Because here I didn't have to be human.

I'm telling you this Eywa, because I don't think she deserves to be forgotten. I feel that our people need to know that not all Sky-People are evil and warrant disgust.  
Because I want to remember that part of my life, before Pandora.

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_**An**: Reviews are very welcome._


	2. Please Read :

_Now, I am aware you aren't supposed to post author's notes as chapters, but I would like other people's opinions on something.  
Should I add a few more oneshots with Jake and Haley, such as him getting injured or the many other ups and down's their relationship has had?  
Ot do you guys think it would make the story mean less as it does now?  
I'm quite proud of Before Pandora and I don't want to mess it up if you get me?  
If you guys could let me know what you think I would be forever indebted, also, if you think I should go ahead, drop in some idea's of where what you would like to know about Haley and Jake, ie : Where they met, first dates, first lemons;) etc etc.  
Oh, and a huge cuddly hug to you if you reviewed.  
Your positive feedback was immensely gratifying:)  
I sincerely thank you :_

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Thank you x

_I'll take this down when I've gotten some feedback._

_Yours,_

_QueenoftheGoddamnedo.o_


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